| Different Amethyst Treatment
Different Amethyst Treatment, its Effect and respective Commercial Value
Amethyst has been the most sought after stone from time immemorial. It was the favorite stone of British monarchy and sparkled in the crown of Catherine the Great and ancient Egyptian royals. Amethyst being birth stone for the month of February is the common quartz used in jewelry. The healing and magical properties of Amethyst made it valuable right from the middle Ages. Amethyst was considered symbol of celibacy and piety by the Christian Priests in the western countries. Considered as a strong antidote against drunkenness it literally meant 'not to intoxicate' in ancient Greece. Violet and Purple varieties of Amethyst are considered as symbol of heaven, as they are related to the constellations of Pisces and Aries.
Amethyst is transparent quartz having the presence of manganese, which produces the stunning purple color. It also has iron content which adds variation to the colors. Its brilliant color is therefore often compared with most expensive gemstones. Generally cut in a six sided prismatic crystal shape it produces a sparkling cluster. Amethyst are available in wide range of sizes, shapes and colors from deep purple which are considered valuable particularly a rich purple with rose flashes to pale colors like Lilac.
This hard and versatile stone is available world wide however different regions produce their own unique varieties. Most of these stones are mined in Latin American countries like Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Bolivia as well as in some African countries like Zambia and Namibia. The stones from the mines of South America are usually larger in size but the African stones are considered better in color and saturation. Some dark colored small sized amethysts are mined in Australia also. These stones are graded according to clarity and color. The Siberian stones belong to higher grade outclass all other competitors in richness and depth of their violet and purple hues. Uruguay mines produce medium grade stone having properties of medium to dark tone and moderate to strong saturation. The lower grade Amethyst in light to medium color is found in Brazil.
To enhance the beauty many gemstones are treated to various processes since antiquity. These human initiated processes are basically done to improve the nature and color of the stones. These are usually undetectable and somewhat irreversible processes. The two main processes are heat treatment and irradiation which if done properly can dramatically change the Amethyst's clarity.
Heating
Heating is the most common treatment which can alter the color of a stone to lighten, darken, or change completely. Very dark amethyst is heated to produce lighter shades. Most of the amethyst available in the gem market is enhanced to get exotic shades. On treating Amethyst under controlled conditions one can produce some very astonishing colors or intensify the royal purple color at 400c to 600c. This heat treatment causes inclusions to expand causing tiny fractures in the crystal surrounding them. It is a permanent and common Amethyst treatment and last forever. Most of the large darker stones exhibiting color zoning are often heat-treated to produce dramatic color changes.
Amethyst has been the most sought after stone from time immemorial. It was the favorite stone of British monarchy and sparkled in the crown of Catherine the Great and ancient Egyptian royals. Amethyst being birth stone for the month of February is the common quartz used in jewelry. The healing and magical properties of Amethyst made it valuable right from the middle Ages. Amethyst was considered symbol of celibacy and piety by the Christian Priests in the western countries. Considered as a strong antidote against drunkenness it literally meant 'not to intoxicate' in ancient Greece. Violet and Purple varieties of Amethyst are considered as symbol of heaven, as they are related to the constellations of Pisces and Aries.
Amethyst is transparent quartz having the presence of manganese, which produces the stunning purple color. It also has iron content which adds variation to the colors. Its brilliant color is therefore often compared with most expensive gemstones. Generally cut in a six sided prismatic crystal shape it produces a sparkling cluster. Amethyst are available in wide range of sizes, shapes and colors from deep purple which are considered valuable particularly a rich purple with rose flashes to pale colors like Lilac.
This hard and versatile stone is available world wide however different regions produce their own unique varieties. Most of these stones are mined in Latin American countries like Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Bolivia as well as in some African countries like Zambia and Namibia. The stones from the mines of South America are usually larger in size but the African stones are considered better in color and saturation. Some dark colored small sized amethysts are mined in Australia also. These stones are graded according to clarity and color. The Siberian stones belong to higher grade outclass all other competitors in richness and depth of their violet and purple hues. Uruguay mines produce medium grade stone having properties of medium to dark tone and moderate to strong saturation. The lower grade Amethyst in light to medium color is found in Brazil.
To enhance the beauty many gemstones are treated to various processes since antiquity. These human initiated processes are basically done to improve the nature and color of the stones. These are usually undetectable and somewhat irreversible processes. The two main processes are heat treatment and irradiation which if done properly can dramatically change the Amethyst's clarity.
Heating
Heating is the most common treatment which can alter the color of a stone to lighten, darken, or change completely. Very dark amethyst is heated to produce lighter shades. Most of the amethyst available in the gem market is enhanced to get exotic shades. On treating Amethyst under controlled conditions one can produce some very astonishing colors or intensify the royal purple color at 400c to 600c. This heat treatment causes inclusions to expand causing tiny fractures in the crystal surrounding them. It is a permanent and common Amethyst treatment and last forever. Most of the large darker stones exhibiting color zoning are often heat-treated to produce dramatic color changes.
